Up To Speed

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com The email late this afternoon from Max BMW frankly kind of shocked me. Maybe it was because I heading out to a Hurricane Irene preparedness meeting where first responders in Harwinton put in place a plan to deal with the worst case scenario – buildings …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Bike nights in Connecticut are as common as roadside vegetable stands. RIDE-CT made a quick stop this evening at the weekly Tuesday night gathering at McDonald’s in Torrington to grab a few snapshots: Steve Bristol of Torrington, who rode in on his 2009 Harley-Davidson Ultra …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Maybe, just maybe, my rebuilt 1969 Triumph T100R Daytona will make it to Brit Jam this year. Dubbed “This Old Bike” when it was put back on the road in 2008 and chronicled in a long-running series of columns in “The Republican-American,” the vintage 500cc …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Riders get stereotyped. Sport bike riders are kids in shorts and flip-flops, while cruiser riders have tattoos and leather vests. Earlier this month, cartoonist Dave Kellett tackled these stereotypes. His cartoon is humorous and spot-on. After you check it out, though, take a few more …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com A man in Arkansas who discovered a meteorite while digging in his back yard is trying to swap it for a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, and his local dealership is open to the idea. Afterall, look at all the free publicity the trade is generating. Autoblog has …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com It doesn’t take a math whiz to decipher the meaning behind the “2X4ON3” message on the New York license plate that’s mounted on the rear of Ken and Peg Acker’s bright red trike. It refers to the two four-cylinder engines that power the homemade three-wheeler. …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Pardon the brief absence. Life intruded… Alpinestars has devised a motorcycle suit with built-in air bags that deploy and protect riders who crash. Already available in Europe for the equivalent of $8,500, it’s expected to be on sale in the U.S. next summer. “The New …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Friend Pete Belli forwarded RIDE-CT a video link with a note, “It would be very hard to run from this guy.” It shows motorcycle cop Donnie Williams negotiating a course at the Grand Prairie Motorcycle Rodeo in Texas earlier this year. Donnie’s command of his …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Bill McMahon, a 68-year-old rider from Wisconsin Rapids, Wisc., felt the need for speed so he took his 1914 Harley-Davidson to the track on Saturday. The “Wisconsin Rapids Tribune” has the story here. It’s worth a look-see just for the picture.

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Today was a nice day for a ride, and the Yankee Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America supplied a great destination with its annual Antique Motorcycle Meet at the Hebron Fairgrounds. Riders came from across Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and beyond to shop …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Yeah, “Captain America” has been in movie theaters for more than a week, but RIDE-CT just stumbled across this teaser “documentary” about the Harley-Davidson that the superhero rides in the flick. It’s not an old WLA but it sure looks like it.  

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Motorcycle Hall of Famer and Torrington resident Doug Henry is currently featured in a story on CNN.    

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Yes, it was hot. But record heat in CT didn’t deter riders from rolling into downtown Torrington on Friday night for the 2nd annual Torrington Thunder, the motorcycle meet that benefits the police department’s D.A.R.E. program. (Photos by Debra Aleksinas and Bud Wilkinson) The vintage …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com What’s new from Harley-Davidson for 2012? Not much. The company took the wraps off its 2012 model lineup for dealers today and the lone new models were a 10th anniversary V-Rod and a new Dyna called the Switchback. The Switchback is described as a “custom …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com The reaction Steve Delmonico of Cheshire gets from other riders when he takes his 1962 Pacer out in public is one of astonishment.  “The first thing they do is they read the gas tank,” said Delmonico, referring to the badge bearing the brand name, “and …